Algonquin Park 2012 - Day Two

On our first day waking up in the park interior we had grand plans to do a big loop through Potter Lake, Brule Lake, McIntosh Lake, and back to Tom Thomson Lake. However, when we worked out that it added up to 20 kilometres, we were more cautious, and decided that we would probably set out, then turn back at an appropriate time - to make sure that we were back in time for supper!

Heading out of Tom Thomson Lake on the west side

Andrea trying her hand at portaging

The portage sign - not always so easy to spot from halfway across a lake!

Our trusty vessel

The shoreline of Potter's Lake at the put in

Paddling up Potter Lake

Alexei and Natasha walk their canoe through the channel

To a small beaver pond at the top end of Potter Lake

We decided that this would be the far end of out trip

On the return journey through Long Pond

Algonquin Park 2012 - Day One

Last week Andrea and I - along with a couple of friends - took a long weekend for a canoe-camping trip in Algonquin Park. On day one we set off from the Portage Store on Canoe Lake headed for Tom Thomson Lake; via Joe Lake, Teepee Lake, the Little Oxtongue River, and Littledoe Lake - altogether about 12 km.

The happy paddlers about to set off onto Canoe Lake

Leaving from the docks at the Portage Store

Paddling beneath an old rail bridge

A family of loons on Teepee Lake

A moose at the entrance to Tom Thomson Lake

The same moose, giving me a look

Paddling into Tom Thomson Lake

The view along the shore from our campsite on Tom Thomson Lake

The rocks along the shore of our campsite - perfect steps for getting into the water!

Drying things off in the evening sun

 

A paddle at dusk

An ancient treestump at one end of Tom Thomson Lake

Tree stump texture

Patio Garden

We have a fantastic patio that lets us grow many plants (as long as they can stand the wind ten floors up!). Here is a sample of what's growing at the moment:

Bell peppers starting to ripen

Cherry tomato plants

Cherry tomatoes ready to eat!

This is a potentilla plant

Scarlet runner bean flowers

Sweet pea flowers

Storms Over Ottawa

This was back on June 7th

Ottawa Catch Up

It's been several months since my last post; and I have been keeping busy - apparently to busy to blog! In September I found a job near Ottawa, and moved to the city a week later. Settled into an apartment downtown, and started to get my feet under the desk at work.

In no particular order, here are a few scenes from Ottawa in the fall:

Parliament and the Ottawa River

Moon over the Supreme Court

The uninspiring building at the bottom of the road is the National Library 

Wooden sculpture in Major's Hill Park: "Twist 1.5"

The War Museum

The Supreme Court

Houses of Parliament

Lester B Pearson - former Prime Minister

The Ottawa River

Museum of Civilization, and Gatineau

The end of the Rideau Canal; drained for winter

Buildings of Kingston

One way or the other, I'll be leaving Kingston in the next few weeks. With summer coming to an end, I've been making an effort to get out and appreciate some of Kingston's attractions and history. So here are the highlights of a walk around Queen's University and the old part of the city.

53 Earl St. Built in 1844 for an engineer; designed by Thomas Rogers

67 Earl St. Built 1847

The British Whig Building

The Prince George Hotel, the centre of which dates to 1817.

161 Earl St. Designed by William Coverdale for the Fraser family in 1847

169 Earl St. Once the Agnes Maule Machar Home for Protestant Women

This row of buildings houses two ice cream shops!

This was the station of the Kingston and Pembroke Railway; now the tourist information office

Kingston City Hall; facing the lake, from where most visitors would have arrived.

218 King St. Built in 1833. This has previously been a store and a medical clinic

The Agnes Etherington Art Gallery at Queen's.

Beamish-Munroe Hall.

The Biosciences Complex

The Queen's University Grad Club is on the left behind the trees

This is the university library, at the corner of Union and University

Finally, the oldest building on campus, Summerhill, built in 1839 by Archdeacon George Okill Stuart